New Fish Owner Tips!

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So you’re ready to enter the world of fish by becoming a fish keeper? Great! Let’s get started.

First of all, thrown out the picture in your head of a single fish floating around in one of those little bowls! You’re going to need at least a 20-gallon tank. While a 10-gallon tank may seem like it will be easier since it is smaller, it actually is harder to maintain a healthy tank if it has a small amount of water. Plus, you want to keep your fish happy with a decent amount of living space.

Now that you have your tank, you’re going to need to fill it up and make it a happy habitual place for your fish. Adding gravel, rocks, wood and other decorations (plants or a pirate ship maybe?) will give your tank, not only a great look or theme, but hiding spots for your fish when they need some alone time.

Your tank is going to need a proper filtration system, a heater (depending on the fish you choose to keep), food, a light and cover, as well as test kits and chemicals. Be sure to speak with your local aquarist for more information on how you should set up your tank and what you need to purchase.

Once you get your aquarium up and running, there are some general care and maintenance tasks you need to complete daily, weekly and monthly. Let’s go over them…

Daily:

Feeding – Feed your fish multiple times in small quantities. You don’t want excess food to sink to the bottom of the tank and reduce the water quality.

Lights – Cycle 12 hours of lights on and off.

Water Temperature – Make sure the water is at a constant temperature. A liquid crystal thermometer 

Weekly: 

Replace Water – Remove and replace several gallons of water to keep the tank clean from too much chemical build up.

Test the Water – Test the water quality with a test kit, to ensure that all levels are safe for your fish.

Remove Algae – Scrape off the algae that builds up on your tank.

Monthly: 

Clean Your Filter – Clean your filter or replace charcoal and filter pads, depending on the type of filter your tank has.

Plant Maintenance – Cut and prune your plants if you have them.

It’s your job as a fish keeper to keep your fish live and well and following the above recommendations will help you to do just that. For more information, see this article from ASPCA! 

Remember, if you need any supplies for your aquarium, visit allpet.com!